Leucanthemumplant named ‘Q3597-2’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Leucanthemum plant named ‘Q3597-2’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; strong and upright flowering stems; no requirement for vernalization treatments to induce flowering; long flowering period; medium-sized single inflorescences with light yellow to creamy white-colored ray florets and bright yellow-colored disc florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Leucanthemum x superbum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Q3597-2’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Leucanthemum plant, botanically known as Leucanthemum x superbum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Q3597-2’.

The new Leucanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform Leucanthemum plants with numerous attractive inflorescences and no requirement for vernalization to induce flowering.

The new Leucanthemum plant originated from an open-pollination during the summer of 2012 of a proprietary selection of Leucanthemum x superbum identified as code designation P4509-2, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Leucanthemum x superbum as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Leucanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands on Jul. 18, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Leucanthemum plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands, since Aug. 23, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Leucanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Leucanthemum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Q3597-2’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Q3597-2’ as a new and distinct Leucanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Strong and upright flowering stems.     -   4. No requirement for vernalization to induce flowering.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Medium-sized single inflorescences with light yellow to         creamy white-colored ray florets and bright yellow-colored disc         florets.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Leucanthemum differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Leucanthemum are more compact than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Leucanthemum are light         yellow to creamy white in color whereas ray florets of plants of         the female parent selection are white in color.

Plants of the new Leucanthemum can be compared to plants of Leucanthemum x superbum ‘Banana Cream’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,181. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Leucanthemum differ from plants of ‘Banana Cream’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Leucanthemum are more compact than plants         of ‘Banana Cream’.     -   2. Plants of the new Leucanthemum do not require a vernalization         treatment to induce flowering whereas plants of ‘Banana Cream’         require a vernalization treatment to induce flowering.     -   3. Plants of the new Leucanthemum have smaller inflorescences         than plants of ‘Banana Cream’.

Plants of the new Leucanthemum can also be compared to plants of Leucanthemum maximum ‘LEUZ0001’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,426. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Leucanthemum differ from plants of ‘LEUZ0001’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Leucanthemum have single type         inflorescences whereas plants of ‘LEUZ0001’ have semi-double         type inflorescences.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Leucanthemum are light         yellow to creamy white in color whereas ray florets of plants of         ‘LEUZ0001’ are white in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Leucanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Leucanthemum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Q3597-2’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Q3597-2’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 20-cm containers during the early spring in an outdoor nursery in Lancaster, Pa. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Leucanthemum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 20° C. and night temperatures averaged 18° C. Plants were 14 weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Leucanthemum x superbum ‘Q3597-2’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Leucanthemum x superbum identified as code designation             P4509-2, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Leucanthemum x             superbum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten to eleven days at             temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About eleven to twelve days             at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 16° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 3.5             weeks at temperatures about 16° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fleshy; typically             close to 2C in color, actual color of the roots is dependent             on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact,             upright and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth             habit; moderate growth rate; freely branching habit with             about 20 primary branches (peduncles) developing per plant.         -   Plant height.—About 24 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 31.5 cm.         -   Branch (peduncle) description.—Length: About 22.5 cm.             Diameter: At the base, about 7 mm. Internode length: About             1.2 cm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Mostly erect to             about 10° from vertical. Texture and luster: Moderately             pubescent; ridged; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple; sessile.             Length: About 9.75 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Shape: Linear.             Apex: Emarginate. Base: Decurrent. Margin: Serrate. Texture             and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Sparsely             pubescent along the veins and margins; slightly glossy.             Venation pattern: Prominent midvein, parallel. Color:             Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A. Developing             leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully developed             leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation, close to             146A. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A             to 146B; venation, close to 146A to 146B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Single inflorescence form with linear-shaped ray             florets and tubular disc florets; inflorescences held             upright on strong peduncles, inflorescences face mostly             upright; ray and disc florets develop acropetally on a             capitulum; vernalization treatments are not required to             induce flowering.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response.—Plants begin flowering about twelve             weeks after planting; plants flower naturally during the             early spring in Pennsylvania; long flowering period, plants             will continue to flower for about five months.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Depending on temperature,             inflorescences maintain good substance for about one to two             weeks on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit, about 20             inflorescences develop per plant at one time.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6.5 cm. Depth (height):             About 2.5 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.6 cm.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.             Color: Close to 144B to 144C.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 8 mm. Diameter: About             1.1 cm. Shape: Flattened sphere. Color: Close. to 144A.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 42 arranged             in about two to three whorls. Length: About 3.2 cm. Width:             About 6 mm. Shape: Linear. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Fused             into a short tube. Margin: Entire; not undulate. Aspect:             Initially upright to about 45° from vertical, with             development, curling downward. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny; slightly glossy.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 4A to 4B. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 4B to 4C. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 157A; venation, close to 157A; color             does not change with development. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to N155B to NN155C; venation, close to NN155B             to NN155C; color does not change with development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 210 massed             at the center of the receptacle arranged in numerous whorls.             Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Fused             tubular. Apex: Acute, five-pointed. Texture and luster,             inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; somewhat glossy.             Color, when opening: Apex: Close to 9A. Mid-section and             base: Close to 154B to 154C; at the base, close to NN155B to             NN155C. Color, fully opened: Apex: Close to 12A. Mid-section             and base: Close to 154B to 154C; at the base, close to             NN155B to NN155C.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 45             arranged in about three or four whorls. Length: About             7.5 mm. Width: About 3.5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Fused. Margin: Entire, membraneous. Texture and             luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; somewhat glossy.             Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous;             moderately glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 144A.             Color, lower surface: Close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Quantity per floret: Five per disc floret. Filament             length: About 6 mm. Filament color: Close to 154D. Anther             shape: Roughly rectangular. Anther length: Less than 1 mm.             Anther color: Close to 10A. Pollen amount: None observed.             Gynoecium: Present on ray and disc florets. Quantity per             floret: One. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma diameter:             Less than 1 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close             to 9A. Style length: About 6 mm. Style color: Close to 154D.             Ovary color: Close to 154C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Leucanthemum. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Leucanthemum     have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common     to Leucanthemum plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Leucanthemum have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate full     sunlight, wind and rain, to tolerate temperatures ranging from     −22° C. to 38° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Leucanthemum plant named ‘Q3597-2’ as illustrated and described. 